(WXYZ) — For the fourth time in five weeks, a Michigan prison was the site of a suspected prisoner homicide.
Since March 27, inmates from four different prisons have died almost every week. The deaths are currently under investigation by the Michigan State Police.
See the full investigation in the video below
“It’s a very big number,” said Margo Schlanger, a law professor at the University of Michigan and an expert in prison reforms who tracks prison fatality statistics.
In 2025, the Michigan Department of Corrections reported only one homicide throughout its 26 prisons. Four prisoners died in all of 2024.
"The Michigan Department of Corrections takes the safety and security of its facilities, staff, and those under our supervision very seriously," said MDOC spokeswoman Jennie Riehle.
"The department is committed to working with our law enforcement partners at the Michigan State Police on the ongoing investigations and assisting with any prosecution that result from those investigations."
Days before the suspected homicides began, the state touted the launch of its 'Safe Prisons Initiative,' designed to monitor and improve safety and security inside Michigan prisons.
Watch below: Inmate accused of murder in Wayne County jail had history of schizophrenia, violence
“They should really be thinking about each one individually and collectively,” Schlanger said. “What happened, what caused it, what could have prevented it? Are there policies or practices that contributed?”
The first inmate to die was Joshua McGehee on March 27 at the Bellamy Creek correctional facility in Ionia.
12 days later, Ronald Bishop died at the Central Michigan prison and a week after that, Colton Mitchell died at the Chippewa Correctional Facility in the Upper Peninsula.
The most recent death came last week at the Macomb Correctional facility, when Daniel Hosmer was killed.
State data shows that two of the suspected homicides took place at prisons where staff vacancies are high. The Bellamy Creek prison reports more than 22% of positions are vacant, while the Chippewa Correctional Facility reports a 29% vacancy rate.
“It’s possible that whatever the underlying root causes are (are) common across the different facilities,” Schlanger said.
Inmates in the state prison system aren’t waiting for their court date. They’ve already been convicted of one or multiple crimes.
McGehee was serving a prison sentence for unarmed robbery, Bishop had been convicted of drugs and firearm offenses and Mitchell and Hosmer were both convicted of sex crimes involving children.
But regardless of an inmate’s crimes, the state has a legal responsibility for their safety. When inmates die, it can cost taxpayers significantly.
Two years ago, Wayne County paid out one of the largest settlements in its history after 7 News Detroit revealed how the jail paired Thomas Carr—a man serving a sentence for a DUI—with an inmate with a history of violence and severe mental illness.
Watch below: Wayne County to pay $7 million over inmate's 'heinous' murder inside jail
Carr was beaten to death for hours and taxpayers paid out $7 million to settle his family’s lawsuit.
“The state does need to worry about liability and how it would rather spend its money,” Schlanger said. “On liability for a preventable death, or on preventing the death?”
In a statement, MDOC spokeswoman Jennie Riehle said the department "has established itself as a national leader in evidence-based corrections" and touted its improvements in key areas.
"Over the last decade, the department has safely reduced the prison population, worked to modernize our facilities and operations, increased opportunities that support long-term public safety and self-sufficiency, and achieved the lowest recidivism rates in our state’s history."
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.